The Enterprise, July 18, 1919

July 17, 2010

Ninety-one years ago the Enterprise was published only on Tuesdays and Fridays, but starting on July 21, it was going to be issued three times a week - but it would shrink from eight pages to six.

It cost 3 cents a copy then and it is hard to believe that when I started as a paper boy with the Enterprise 23 years later in 1942, the newspaper was still 3 cents a copy. The subscription price even with that extra copy, remained at $2 per year.

The front page was all local news, and the stories carried were much as they are today about the courts, the village board and veterans coming home. Here are a few of those stories - some in excerpts, some in there entirety:

Article Photos

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Judge Paddock remits jail sentence

"Frederick G. Paddock, Franklin County Judge, has just handed down a decision in the appeal of the case of the People against Richardson Murphy and Edward V. Flanagan of Saranac Lake, who pleaded guilty to the charge of assault, committed upon Edward G. Cox, former proprietor of Downing's Restaurant, last May and were fined $50 and sentenced to serve thirty days in county jail by Judge Seaver Miller.

"An appeal was made by H.P. Coats, attorney for the defendants, on the grounds that the sentence imposed by the lower court was excessive and that the defendants are in such physical shape by reason of being inflicted with tuberculosis and could not stand the sentence of imprisonment."

Now paraphrasing Judge Paddock said, if anything the sentence was too light. He said the defendants were guilty of a cold-blooded and unprovoked assault and said that prisoners who are sick can be properly cared for in the county jail under the direction of the court and the sheriff.

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Youth arrested for robbery

"John Lawrence, aged 20, and Michael Schamber, aged 21, were arrested here Monday charged with robbing the garage on the Saranac Lake-Lake Placid turnpike at the head of the Whiteface Inn road owned by Joseph H. Williams of Williams Garage and operated by his nephew, William Lamb, Jr. It is alleged they took over $50 from the cash register and made their escape."

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Fitz Otis home from service

"Fitz Edward G. Otis has returned to his home at Lake Clear Junction after a year and a half in the army, sixteen months of the time having been spent in France. He was with the 20th engineers, enlisting after failing several times.

"He went to Camp Devens and was then sent to Camp American University. He left for France on Jan. 15, 1918 sailing on the transport Pastores. The convoy which was to meet the transports was several hours behind schedule and so gave opportunity for an attack by three submarines. Two of the U-boats were sunk but the third escaped.

"His unit was attached to the French army which he served under until February 1, 1919 doing forest engineering work. He returned on the steamer Kroonland and was discharged at Camp Upton on June 5."

"Mr. Russ had stepped on the gas to the extent of 25 miles an hour and he didn't know Sancomb was around until the motorcycle poked its way up alongside his speeding auto."

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Elected to Pontiac board

"David Seymour, manager of the Pontiac Theater, was elected a member of the board of directors at a meeting of the board Tuesday. Mr. Seymour fills the vacancy left open through the death of Louis Bernstein. He was one of the original organizers of the present company, and it has been largely through his industry and good judgment that the Pontiac has been made a success. The Pontiac is admittedly the best conducted movie picture theatre in Northern New York."

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Lawn social in gabriels

"A lawn social will be held at Gabriels, August 1, for the benefit of the Church of the Assumption. It will take place at 5:30 o'clock. In the evening there will be a dance at Riley's Hall, the music to be furnished by Nimmo's orchestra of Saranac Lake.

The receipts will go to the fund of $7,000 for the construction of the new church. There is now $2,000 in the fund."

(The land for the church was donated to the dioceses by Ike Sterns. That information came to me from Mae Plumadore. The church was constructed by 1923 because my parents, Dennis Riley and Elizabeth "Bessy" Keegan were the first couple married there. Riley's hall was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Riley - grandparents of Jim, John, Larry, Tim and Bob, the other Riley family in Gabriels.